Deadly Sunny Day

Opening Scene

Detective Rich Smith is inside his apartment reading a book while watching TV. Turn to an unknown man knocking on his door. Rich gets up from the couch and answers the door. Cut to the door opening and Rich getting punched in the face. He lands on top of the coffee table and crunches it. Rich puts up a struggle and finally the unknown man knocks Rich out. The unknown man puts Rich in the trunk of his car and drives off. Opening theme and credits.

Scene 1-Rich Smith's Apartment

JC, Ellie and Nina enter Smith's apartment. The place is sealed off with crime scene tape and other officers are searching the place for clues to Smith's disappearance. JC looks around and checks the window. A Uniformed Officer approaches JC and Ellie.

JC: What did you guys find?

Uniformed Officer: Looks like there was a struggle between Smith and his attacker. We found a trace of blood on the floor. Forensics is taking samples back to the lab to see if it might be Smith's.

Ellie: Who would want to abduct Rich? (Looking to see Smith's phone and house keys) He wouldn't leave without his house keys or his phone. JC, I think someone took Rich and has him stashed somewhere.

Nina: All the windows were locked and nothing seems to be taken guys. Why would the attacker pick Rich to kidnap?

JC: Well, there's no motive for it. Let's head back to the station.

Ellie looks around and sits on the couch. JC heads over to Ellie.

JC: You okay Ellie?

Ellie: (sighs) You think this person might kill Rich?

JC: Don't say that Ellie. We'll find Rich and that I promise you. C'mon let's go the station and piece up things we found here.

Ellie: Your right JC. I think I'll feel better once we're at the station. (She gets up and walks right out the door)

JC: (to Nina) I don't think this was an ordinary attack on Rich. Something's definitely up.

Nina: (Replying) You think someone tried to kill Rich?

JC: I'm not sure Nina, but if Rich put up a struggle on his attacker. There's a good chance he left a clue behind for us. C'mon let's ask the doorman if he saw anything.

Scene 2-Lobby area

JC and Nina meet Ellie at the lobby. They approach the doorman.

JC: (flashing his badge) I'm JC Williams this is Detectives Nina Moreno and Ellie Cateeti from the 4th Precinct. We're investigating the disappearance of Detective Rich Smith. Did you see anything unusual last night or anyone going in or out of here?

Doorman: I did see a car parked across the street for almost an hour to two. I did see Mr. Smith when he came in. He didn't look that well. He looked kind of tired and exhausted. He didn't say much just took the elevator and went to his apartment. I did see a guy dragging something to his car and plunked it in his trunk.

Ellie: Can you describe the guy you saw?

Doorman: Yes, he was about 5'9" with short dark hair with blonde streaks in it and he was wearing jeans and a jacket. It was kinda hard to see anything else since it was dark.

Nina: When was this?

Doorman: Just a little after 2am. I did hear a bang sound like someone had dropped something.

JC: (handing his card over) If you remember anything else, give me call.

Doorman: (taking the card) Sure, no problem.

Sights of New York and the sun setting beyond downtown with cars rolling by and cut to the 4th Precinct.

Scene 3-4th Precinct

JC, Ellie, Eddie and Nina are sitting at their desks. Ellie looks at Rich's desk to see how empty it looks. The chair and everything seems to be untouched. Ellie stops what she's doing and goes over to Rich's desk. She starts digging through his pile of case files and finds a notepad with some notes on it. She takes it and walks over to JC and Eddie. Ellie: (to JC) I found Rich's notepad and looks like he scribbled some notes on here from a case he was working on.

JC: (taking the notepad and looks at it) Eddie, take a look at this. Smith was working on a missing person's case and must of found something.

Eddie: (surprised look) Oh man, Rich was very close to solving the case. (Sees an address scribbled on the corner) Looks, like he was suppose to visit this person. I don't see a list of bad guys except this place he wrote down and the words 'Snitcher' written below it. I didn't know Rich had a snitch.

Lt. Cooper: Torres, Moreno, Williams and Cateeti. My office now.

The four head upstairs to Lt. Cooper's office and enter.

Lt. Cooper: (takes a look at their notes) Guys I don't think this was no ordinary kidnapping of Smith. Rich was working a missing person's case involving children being abducted near school parks. He had his eye on a perv who was released over a year ago from prison. Witnesses described the scumbag as the same person who could have kidnapped those kids. This was at random.

Ellie: How does Rich fit in all this?

Lt. Cooper: Rich was tracking this guy down for almost month until he found a trail leading to this guy. I want you guys to nail him and get him on the kidnapping charges. We get this guy; he can lead us to where Smith is being kept at.

Eddie: Rich wrote the name of a snitch on his notepad. He might have gotten some info and went to check it out. Maybe we outta start there.

Nina: JC, Ellie and I could talk to the snitch. Eddie could find out who the guy released from prison was.

Lt. Cooper: Okay, better find out what you can get and find Rich before it's too late.

Commercial break

Scene 4-Chinatown

JC and Ellie pull up to a bar called 'Zing-zing's. The three of them get out and walk right in. Smoke fills up the room and music is playing from the jukebox in the corner. Ellie sees a guy wearing a leather jacket smoking a cigarette in the corner checking his watch every five minutes. He is sitting in a booth alone. Ellie approaches him. The guy seeing Ellie walking over gets up and runs to the back door. Ellie: (running) Freeze! Don't move! JC, Nina, he's going around the back!

JC and Nina run outside and to the alley where they see Ellie and the guy running. Ellie grabs the guy and slams him to the ground. Nina pulls Ellie off the guy while JC puts the cuffs on him.

JC: My man, we just want some information. You didn't have to run.

Guy: I thought he sent someone to kill me. I figured if the cop who got the info from me would give me protection.

Ellie: (very angry) What happened to Detective Smith??? Where is he??

Guy: (catching his breath) I don't know. He was supposed to meet me here last night so I could tell him who was kidnapping those kids. When he didn't show, I stayed here so that bastard who's trying to kill me wouldn't figure out where I was. Look, I'll tell you all I know if you just take me somewhere where I can be protected okay?

Nina: (to JC) I don't trust this guy.

Ellie: If we find out you're lying to us, I will beat you so hard you will be eating your food through a fucking straw!

JC pulls Ellie to the side.

JC: Look Ellie, I know this is frustrating because Rich is missing, but you don't have to get violent to get info out of this guy.

Ellie: I know JC, but I just want to get Rich back in one piece. I don't want to think that Rich is dead. I know he's alive and that we'll find him and the bastard who has him. (Ellie's cell phone rings)

Scene 5-Unknown warehouse over in Brooklyn

Rich is tied up to a pole with shackles and cuffs with a gag in his mouth. The unknown person who is in his mid thirties with dark hair and about 5'9" wearing a dark jacket and jeans. The guy holds a gun to Rich's head.

Ellie: (answering her cell) Hello?

Voice: If you want to see Detective Rich Smith alive as well as those missing children, then buy some flowers and deliver them to East 44th St. on the west side of downtown New York. Come alone. If I see any cops or you're being followed, then I kill Smith and those missing kids and I'm going to make it very brutal.

Ellie: (getting angry) Who is this? What do you want with Detective Smith? Why did you keep those kids?

Voice on phone: I kidnapped them for money. I nabbed Smith because he was following my trail and he got too close to catching me. I'll give you two hours to comply and show up at the corner of 44th St.

Ellie: How do I know that Rich is alive? Let me talk to him.

The guy puts the cell to Rich and removes the gag.

Rich: (shaking) Ellie, it's me. I'm okay. I see the missing kids. They're locked up in a storage cage. All of them are here. Tell JC and the guys that I'm okay. I...

Voice on the phone: Corner of 44th St. and bring the flowers. (Hangs up)

Ellie: Hello??? Hello??? (Tapping her cell)

JC: Ellie, what's wrong?

Ellie: (Putting the phone in her pocket) Rich is alive.

Commercial

Scene 6-4th Precinct

Ellie and the others are gathered at Nina's desk.

Nina: What did this guy say Ellie?

Ellie: He said that he has Rich and those kids he kidnapped. By the sound in the background he must have been calling from a warehouse. I heard a lot of tapping.

JC: Did he say anything else?

Ellie: Guy said to get some flowers and go to the corner of 44th St. I need a wire and a vest.

Lt. Cooper approaches the group.

Lt. Cooper: Okay guys, what did you find out from the snitch?

JC: Says Smith was on the trail of the missing kids and the perv that was released from prison is involved. The snitch was afraid he was going to be killed. We got the snitch in protective custody in a safe house somewhere.

Ellie: Lt. Cooper, the guy who got Rich called me on my cell. He's holding Rich somewhere in a warehouse along with those missing kids. He told me to meet him at the corner of 44th St. and to come alone or he'll kill Rich and those kids and this guy means business.

JC: You think he's bluffing?

Nina: He wouldn't kill Rich or those kids. He knows we'll nab him if he does. We need a plan.

Eddie: We can't risk getting Rich killed. I'd say we just do what the guy says, but we can put a wire on Ellie and nab this guy before it's too late. How much time did this guy give you Ellie?

Ellie: 2 hours. He said no cops or he kills them.

Lt. Cooper: Ok, Ellie will meet him at the corner of 44th St. Torres, Williams and Moreno will move in when he's made contact with her. Otherwise, you just have to follow them if he takes her to where Rich is at. Be careful you guys okay.

Ellie: I'm not going to let you down. (Grabs her jacket and walks out the door)

Scene 7-Corner of 44th St. near a Flower Shop

Its near sunset as the street becomes calm. JC drops Ellie off halfway near the corner. People are walking by going about their business. Ellie checks her wire and piece inside her coat. She goes the flower shop and purchases some flowers. JC and the others sit in the truck nearby checking it out. Ellie leaves the shop and waits at the corner. She checks her watch. A guy approaches her.

Man: You Detective Cateeti?

Ellie: (turning around) Yeah, that's me. (Hands over the flowers)

Man: (taking the flowers) You weren't followed Det. Cateeti?

Ellie: What makes you think I was being followed? I just want to get Rich back alive. You're the one who has him.

Man: I'll admit I kidnapped those kids, but I did it out of revenge. I nabbed Detective Smith because he was getting too close.

JC: (looking through binoculars) There's our bad guy right there.

Eddie: (headphones on) This guy is giving one hell of a confession. Looks like he's going to tell us where Rich is at or lead us to him.

Man: I'll take you to Smith. My car's this way. (Leads the way)

Ellie does a secret signal to JC to follow. He sees the signal.

JC: Looks like we're about to follow our bad guy. (Turns the engine on)

Ellie and the man drive off heading towards the Brooklyn Bridge. JC follows closely to the car, but not too close. Fifteen minutes later, the man pulls up to a warehouse. The pair gets out.

Scene 8-Warehouse

The two of them walk inside. Ellie looks around and sees Rich chained up to a pole. She runs over to him until the man pulls out a gun.

Rich: (spitting out the gag) Ellie! Behind you!!!!

Ellie turns around and sees the gun.

Ellie: (yelling) Drop the gun! (Points it at the man) Don't make me do this!

Man: You don't have the guts bitch! You shoot me I kill Det. Smith in the process.

Rich: Take the shot Ellie!

Man: Make the choice detective. Your partner's life or killing me (Aims the gun at Rich and is about to fire)

JC: Ellie's in trouble! Let's move guys! (Nodding to Nina and Eddie)

The three run out of the truck and run into the warehouse. They see the man and Ellie in a standoff.

JC: Drop the gun! It's over!

Nina sees the children being held up in the storage cage and opens the door.

The man tries to take a shot at Rich, but Ellie fires hitting the guy in the chest. He falls down. Ellie is shaken after the shooting.

Eddie unchains Rich and helps him up.

Rich: (patting Eddie on the back) I'm glad to see you guys. I guess I blew my case to bring this guy to justice Eddie.

JC: It's not your fault Rich. This guy was after you and it ended in a bad way. C'mon let's get you back to the station.

Nina: (to Ellie) you okay?

Ellie: (shaking) I shot him. Why did I do it though? Nina, did I make the right choice?

Nina: It's okay Ellie. He had a gun and was about to shoot at Rich. You did what you had to do.

Ellie: I don't know how I can handle this Nina. I just killed a guy who almost killed my partner.

JC: (patting Ellie on the back) Been there done that.

Ellie has no emotion for what she has done. She walks out the door with the others.

Scene 9-Natalie's

Vanessa Carlton is on stage with the Counting Crows singing 'Big Yellow Taxi'. Ellie is sitting at the bar drinking a drink. Rich sits down next to her.

Rich: Thanks for saving my life.

Ellie: Yeah it was no problem. I'm sorry I killed the guy Rich.

Rich: You did what you had to do Ellie. Those kids owe you their lives. You saved a bunch of kids from this bastard.

Ellie: What if this happens again? What if I get someone killed trying to save someone else?

Eddie, JC and Nina approach the pair.

Eddie: (signaling the bartender and orders a drink) Hey guys! How does it feel to be alive again Rich?

Rich: (chuckling) a lot better Eddie thanks. I'm just glad I didn't get killed.

Nina: (patting Rich on the back) It's good to have you back on the team Rich.

JC: My man I'm just glad to see ya.

Rich: (to Eddie and Nina) Okay if I talk to guys alone for a second?

Eddie and Nina: Sure

They grab a table.

Rich: Ellie's still shook up about what happened. Could one of you like talk to her? She's still blaming herself about killing that guy.

Eddie: I think I'll let Nina handle this one.

Nina: It would be no problem Rich. I'll talk to Ellie and help her through this.

The music plays on. Everyone in the room dances to the music. End of the scene.